Questioning the Future Landscape of PR? Same Here
Daniella Polevoy
Strategic Marketing Professional | MSc in Marketing Management | Crafting Impactful Experiences| Campaign Planning | Branding and PR
In a time and place where the everyday good samaritan is bombarded with thousands of ads, curated communications streams driven by data-insight, and of course; personalization as the bi-product of unprecedented exponential growth of the digital era- one simply has to take a step back, and ask the question that we're all thinking.
What's next?
In a world saturated by so much noise of what's new, what's old, what's hot, what's cold- how do we begin to make predictions about how to navigate the future of PR?
The ever- pressing conundrum of AI. Is it the next best tool since The RepTrak Company introduced to the world a means by which to measure and quantify reputation? Or is it another obstacle which the industry needs to mitigate? As an MSc Marketing Management student passionate about the PR industry, the future and all of its entailing volatility, is constantly on my mind. Perhaps a tad anecdotal as someone who joked off the possibility of finishing the majority of my B.A during a global pandemic (News Flash: it happened!), my new motto is to always expect the unexpected, and anticipate the consequences of the forthcoming.
What will be the new trends that we observe? How will the competitive landscape change in increasingly evolving conditions? What can I do I do right now, today even, in order to ensure that I am up to date on best practices and approaches of the industry, as someone who will be entering the field?
Apprehension is a common sentiment in these times, felt all the moreso by newcomers. So truly, what can we do?
Yesterday at 西班牙Esade商学院 during a lecture led by Ana Varela Otero we covered key principles of trust reputation building. Since trust is inextricably tied with corporate communication,and its future as an intangible asset only recently being valued and assessed by companies. During a conversation that I recently had with Saida García Bautista (PhD) , Director of Stakeholder Engagement and Education at Corporate Excellence - Centre for Reputation Leadership , we discussed the importance of Intangible Assets in the world of PR and Communications, rather how in the modern competitive landscape, the impact of reputation simply cannot be underestimated.
Lost trust is lost business, and it can take years to regrow. Despite reputation being a factor that is largely outside of the control of the company (as opposed to the self-proclamation of self-image) Saida García Bautista (PhD) shared a novel insight, that reputation can be protected by growing it from inside-out.
The employee is the first stakeholder that must abide by and embody the core values of the company, nurturing the definition of a) purpose and b) values from top-down and down-up is the way forward for companies to ensure their employees are motivated- the very first line of defence against potential harm to reputation.
This is great news for companies! And great for Gen Z workers entering the workforce since collectively, the trend for Gen Z is to support companies who's values and mission they feel included in. This is reflective of the modern business landscape as companies are more conscious that they need to be more transparent. Far from meaning to disclose absolutely everything, it implies greater tact and strategy in the long-term. Business entities need to be clear on what they can and cannot do, where they are and where they are not entering in order to make clear commitments to their stakeholders. And therein we covered the 7 Core Principles of Reputation:
1) Products & Services.
2) Innovation.
3) Workplace.
4) Governance.
5) Citizenship.
6) Leadership.
7) Performance.
So if we know that reputation is they key to successfully navigating volatility in the future, and of the 7 Core Principles of trust-building; Products & Services, Governance and Citizenship rank as the most important areas of focus- is this enough to be prepared?
The answer is both yes and no.
In a talk led by Monica Sampol , Client Partner & Senior Client Director at 凯度 at our Implementing Integrated Communications lecture, we dove deeper into the mechanisms that are driving trends for the future of the PR industry in the digital age.
First and foremost- let's talk behavior.
凯度 Blueprint for Brand Growth identified three key behaviors that enable brand growth:
1) Consistency- As CMO's continue to want to show their value to upper level management, they tend to change the communications strategy often. While the drive to innovate and penetrate new areas and acquire greater market share is admirable, the challenge lies in Integrating a consistent message seamlessly across all touchpoints is key for success!
2) Connectivity- In the fragmented world we live in, when a brand expresses its touchpoints using its brand assets it has more room to grow. Using powerful brand associations such as symbols, music, media, ambassadors etc. as performative shortcuts of the brand itself allows the consumer to make an easier decision to recognize the brand and commit to the brand.
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3) Optimisation- striving for excellence in optimising communications as a type of exposure and experience that enables the brand to amplify the brand positioning.
Having recognized the successful behaviors of PR campaigns today, what are their drivers? It's important to consider that they have changed considerably over the past twenty years, and therefore throughout each stage of campaign execution the following considerations must be kept in mind:
Having recognized both the drivers of success and key successful behaviors- how can we contextualize this towards adapting for the future? The good news for both up-and-coming PR professionals, and veterans in the game the answers have been identified.
And therein we find ourselves at best practices identified by 凯度 !
Goals
And therefore fresh grads- where does that leave us?
At a point of convergence. Having gained practical know-how, it is time to adapt our skillset with the demands of the industry. Having recently read the white paper Use of AI in Corporate Communications and Public Relations: The Story So Far shared by Stephen Waddington , Founder and Managing Partner at Wadds Inc. , it is clear that the application of AI tools in PR is still in the discovery phases. AI's potential to augment tasks and enhance productivity, despite low adoption rates and challenges such as misinformation, copyright issues, and privacy concerns is notable.
The findings further highlight AI's capabilities in administration, content generation, research, and evaluation, while emphasizing the need for robust governance, ethical considerations, and continuous training for effective use. AI adoption remains experimental, with organizations hesitant due to risks like hallucination and quality issues. It is clear that the need for discussion of regulatory frameworks in the UK and EU, demonstrates practical applications and barriers to AI adoption. Looking ahead, AI is expected to shift PR practice towards more strategic roles, requiring new skills and emphasizing the importance of human oversight to maintain quality and ethical standards.
While getting acquainted with core Goals that are projected to form the future of the PR landscape are a step in the right direction, it is ultimately the onus of both future industry entrants and current professionals to stay informed on latest trends and best practices. So while I am still asking what the future of PR looks like, as I am sure many will continue to ask, uncertainty can certainly be backed by sources such as the ones provided by Ana Varela Otero Monica Sampol and Stephen Waddington .
Stay curious dear readers!